Mangaluru : Surprise checks by the city traffic police at prime traffic junctions caught many motorists unawares on Wednesday. It was carried out in view of the road accident at Trasi in Kundapur on Tuesday in which eight students were killed.

Teams of traffic police were posted at the Navabharat Circle, St. Agnes College Circle, and Surathkal to check school vans, cars and two-wheelers in which children were being dropped to schools. The exercise was coordinated by Assistant Commissioner of Police Uday Nayak, who himself was stationed at the Navabharat Circle at 8 a.m. The Navarbharat Circle is an important junction in the city and is close to six primary and secondary schools. School vans of other schools pass through this junction.

Several motorists were booked for violation of traffic norms at the Navabharat Circle. There were a good number of commercial vans and private vans carrying more than 15 children in their vehicles. Several school vans were found carrying more than the permitted number of students. They also found that many school vans did not have woman attenders. There were a number of two-wheeler riders who were carrying their children without wearing helmets.

Similar was the scene at the St. Agnes College Circle and at Surathkal. Van drivers were seen dropping children 100 metres ahead of the St. Agnes College Circle and make them walk up to their schools.

Mr. Nayak said that notices had been issued to owners of 40 school vehicles for carrying more than permitted number of children in their vehicles. Nearly 150 two-wheeler riders were fined for riding vehicles without wearing helmets. School van drivers were asked to follow the norms laid down by the Supreme Court for the safety of schoolchildren.